WE’RE HERE FOR YOU
We Make Entrepreneurs
Our Business
If you’re an entrepreneur, you don’t need us to tell you that the road you walk, while meaningful and rewarding, can prove incredibly challenging. That’s why we’re here. We aim to break down barriers and fill gaps so that you and your business can thrive.
Programs and Events Designed With You In Mind
Startup Waco hopes to make your journey just a bit easier with our dynamic, high impact programs and events created for entrepreneurs and business leaders..
Business Blueprints is a bi-annual program that takes a community-driven approach to small business acceleration. Cohorts are developed based on various factors including industry sector, stage of business, and geographic or demographic groups. Once a cohort is established, education and mentoring modules are delivered in either 3- or 6-week formats. Individual coaches work with business owners to implement the strategies, and all programs are bilingual. Email us to hear about the upcoming program details.
EMERGE is an invite-only business incubator located in our co-working space at 605 Austin Ave in downtown Waco. While being sector and stage agnostic, initial focus is on pre- and early-revenue startups operating in consumer software tech, retail, healthcare, ag tech, and media.
As part of the program, businesses will receive subsidized office space, 1:1 committed advisory services and tactical support from the Startup Waco team and other strategic partners, networking opportunities with local and regional ecosystem partners, unique access to both equity and non- dilutive capital through investor meet-ups and pitch nights, as well as access to zero-interest loans and grant opportunities.
Startup Waco has partnered with Kiva, the largest crowd-lending platform in the world, to bring Waco an innovative new solution to provide access to capital for small businesses. Kiva creates an important new path to the financial mainstream, offering a $0 fee, 0% interest loans to small businesses, with Startup Waco providing wrap-around financial education and advisory services to the recipient businesses. Since launching in 2021, Startup Waco has deployed over $250k to local businesses on the Kiva platform.
This is the best place to get started if you’re new to Startup Waco. Our team reserves hours each week to meet with entrepreneurs about their business, to make connections where needed, and to help get plugged into everything happening at Startup Waco and with other partner organizations.
Our annual capstone event, Startup Week celebrates the entrepreneurial culture of Central Texas while providing entrepreneurs and students an opportunity to engage with thought leaders and local business owners. Our next event will be in 2023, check back here for dates and times or reach out anytime.
Join us every Wednesday morning from 9-10am at our co-working space downtown, 605 Austin Ave. Each week you’ll hear from a different entrepreneur and have the opportunity to ask questions and network with others that are interested in the ecosystem development of Waco. All are welcome, no reservation required, and of course, there will be lots of coffee provided! If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out.
As part of our collaboration with Baylor University, we’ve created a content platform to celebrate the entrepreneurial journey.
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